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July 2003 UPDATE

Dear Friends,

Sravasti Abbey has been making progress in the last month. First, we continue to look for land for the Abbey and are now expanding the search to northern Idaho. We have been consulting experts in zoning, water, and septic issues in order to ensure that the property selected will sustain monastics for a long time. Second, at the beginning of July, the steering committee and others met to establish Friends of Sravasti Abbey, a lay support group. More about this after I tell you a touching story.

On a plane trip earlier this month, I was seated next to a woman who recognized the robes and asked if I was a Buddhist. We talked about the Dharma for a while; I told her about the Abbey and gave her a brochure. Just before the plane landed, she said, "I would like to make a donation to Sravasti Abbey. We should put our money where our values are, and donating to the Abbey is more worthwhile than getting myself a new dress." She reached in her purse and handed me a folded bill which I put in my bag and thanked her. When I looked in my bag later, I saw that she had given $100! The Abbey's vision had inspired a total stranger so that she wanted to be involved with our project.

Yours in the Dharma,

Ven. Thubten Chodron

And Now! Introducing Friends of Sravasti Abbey FOSA.

Dear Friends,

We are pleased to introduce the formation of Friends of Sravasti Abbey, a lay organization to support the activities of the Abbey and its residents. Check out the organizations' goals and leadership structure below. And take a look at the great power point presentation about the Abbey at www.sravastiabbey.org. It's exciting to see dedicated people from all around the world, coming together and volunteering their talents to this noble cause.

Volunteer Opportunities J

If you would like to offer your skills to an Abbey project, please fill out the volunteer form by going to http://www.sravastiabbey.org/volunteer.html. We'll be in touch and will do our best to match your talents and what you wish to offer to the Abbey's needs. Many opportunities will come about after the Abbey has found its home, but several support roles can be filled now.

Specifically, we need:

1. An architect to help with building plans

2. Skilled and enthusiastic fundraisers

3. People with knowledge of land management.

4. People skilled in editing audio tapes and digital audio to post on the website.

Lots of Activity from FOSA Singapore

The FOSA branch in Singapore has been very active by presenting displays about the Abbey and providing Dharma books at local events. Laurine Tan has donated many sets of Buddhist greeting cards and bookmarks to the Abbey to use for fund raising. We are moved that people from half way around the world are so eager to help establish an abbey in the USA.

Thank You's and Looking Forward

Many thanks to all of you who responded so generously to our recent fund raising letter and those who recently signed up to be monthly supporters! Your kind donations will enable us to purchase suitable property for the Abbey. Many thanks, too, to those reciting Tara mantra for the success of the Abbey.

We look forward to welcoming all of you at the Abbey before too long.

Very best wishes in the Dharma,

Dan Black, Barbara McDaniel, Wendy Mickle, Nanc Nesbitt, Steven Vannoy

Steering committee of Friends of Sravasti Abbey

Friends of Sravasti Abbey: Goals and Organizational Structure

Introduction

On July 1st and 2nd, 2003 Venerable Thubten Chodron and a group of interested lay practitioners met to draft an organizational charter for Friends of Sravasti Abbey. The following information resulted from that meeting.

FOSA Vision

Friends of Sravasti Abbey (FOSA) are lay people who actively foster the well-being of Sravasti Abbey.

FOSA Mission

FSA provides consistent, strong, and effective support to Sravasti Abbey through fund-raising, communication, and maintenance of the four requisites of practice: food, shelter, clothing and medicine.

FOSA Membership

FSA members are self-proclaimed, able to select from a set of commitment levels that suit their personal needs over time, and able to share in the activities of the Abbey.

FOSA Goals

· Secure a location for Sravasti Abbey that meets the needs identified by Venerable Chodron.

· Develop an organizational structure that maintains the health of FOSA and adequately supports the needs of the Abbey.

· Develop a fund-raising plan that, when implemented, meets the short and long-term needs of the Abbey. Funds raised by FOSA are directly provided to the Abbey. The Abbey provides operating funds to FOSA as needed.

· Develop a public relations and communications plan that effectively informs interested publics of the benefits and needs of Sravasti Abbey. This includes the identification of volunteers who will assist the Abbey through contributions of time, professional expertise, materials or monies.

· Once a location for the Abbey is secured, develop a facilities and maintenance plan for acquiring and maintaining the four requisites (shelter and transportation, food, clothing, medicine).

FOSA Board of Directors (Positions are in the process of being filled)

Chairperson - provides organizational leadership

Assistant-Chairperson

Finance Committee Chair (Treasurer) - maintains financial records

Fund Raising Committee Chair - designs and implements fund raising projects

Public Relations/Communications Committee Chair - designs and implements publicity campaigns, oversees correspondence

Four Requisites Committee Chair - coordinates land search and providing food, clothing, shelter, and medicine to the monastic community.

Volunteer Chair - Supervises volunteer coordination

FOSA Singapore Chair - coordinates FOSA activities in Singapore

FOSA Mexico Chair - coordinates FOSA activities in Mexico

In addition, there is a organizational process person to ensure procedures are followed and to look after the health of the organization and a FOSA representative to Dharma Friendship Foundation.

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